Cap with unitary security ring

ABSTRACT

A cap for a hermetically sealed container includes an interior spike and a unitary security ring which is severed from the cap when an attempt is made to remove the cap from the container. The cap is rotatable in one direction to pierce through and puncture the neck of the container and allow access to the container contents. The security ring is severed from the cap when an attempt is made either to remove the cap from the container or to pierce the neck of the container with the interior spike.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hermetically sealed dispensing containers and,more particularly, to a dispensing cap therefor having a unitarysecurity ring associated therewith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,616 B1 to Weiler et al. discloses a container whichis formed of thermoplastic material, filled with the desired contents,and then sealed all in one continuous operation by a blow/fill/sealtechnique. The container disclosed therein is sealed by a pierceablemembrane which is unitary with an opening defined by the throat of thecontainer and is provided with a piercing external cap.

The system and container described above is particularly desirable wherean aseptic contents is to be sealed within a container and thereaftermaintained as such. The external cap is secured over the top of thethroat and incorporates a spike adapted to pierce the container andallow access to the container contents. The absence of a visualindicator, however, does not allow a user to determine whether thecontainer has been the subject of tampering prior to use.

It would thus be desirable to provide a container including a capadapted to provide a security and tamper indicator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a cap adapted for use on ahermetically sealed container having a threaded neck that defines anopening occluded by a pierceable membrane. The cap includes an interiorspike and a unitary security ring that is severed from the cap in twoways. Frangible tabs connect the security ring to the cap. The securityring is severed from the cap (1) when an attempt is made to remove thecap from the container or (2) when the cap is rotated to pierce themembrane and gain access to container contents.

In the preferred embodiment, the cap and container neck portion includecooperating threaded surfaces which allow the cap to be threaded overthe neck portion in one direction to secure the cap and the securityring over the neck. Further threading of the cap to pierce membranebreaks the frangible tabs. Cooperating toothed surfaces on the ring andthe neck cause the ring to engage and abut against the neck when the capis rotated in the opposite direction to remove the cap from thecontainer; frangible tabs that connect the ring and the cap are thenbroken before the cap can be unthreaded from the container.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be morereadily apparent from the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiment of the invention, the accompanying drawings and theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame;

FIG. 1 is an enlarged, part-fragmentary, part-vertical cross-sectionalview of the cap of the present invention secured over the neck andnozzle of a hermetically sealed container;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, vertical cross-sectional view of the cap of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the cap of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the cap of the present invention;and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, part-fragmentary, part-vertical cross-sectionalview of the cap in its fully threaded piercing position over the nozzleof the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention disclosed herein is, of course, susceptible of embodimentin many different forms. Shown in the drawings and described hereinbelowin detail is a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to beunderstood, however, that the present disclosure is an exemplication ofthe principles of the invention and does not limit the invention to theillustrated embodiment.

For ease of description, a container equipped with the cap embodying thepresent invention is described hereinbelow in its usual assembledvertical position as shown in the accompanying drawings and terms suchas upper, lower, horizontal, etc., will be used herein with reference tothis usual position. However, it is understood that the container andcap may be manufactured, stored, transported, sold, or used inorientations other than that described and shown herein.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a dispenser 10 embodying this inventioncomprises a hermetically sealed container 12 and a cap 14 threaded ontoneck 15. Container 12 is of unitary construction and includes a hollowbody portion 16 whose walls are relatively thin and define aliquid-holding cavity 18. Body portion 16 terminates in neck 15 providedwith external threads 30. The walls of body portion 16 are relativelythin so that body portion 16 can be manually squeezed, i.e., compressedor distorted to dispense a liquid fill therefrom, as desired.

Container 12 can be molded using a thermoplastic polymer. Presentlypreferred polymers are low density polyethylene (LDPE), high densitypolyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and the like. The thickness ofbody portion 16 can vary from one location to another, but is preferablyformed as thin as practical, consistent with structural strengthrequirements.

Container 12 can be made by a parison molding procedure wherein bodyportion 16 is formed first, then filled with a desired liquid fill, andthereafter sealed while providing a pierceable membrane. The blow, filland sealing operations are carried out automatically under sterileconditions using procedures known to the art as disclosed in, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,976 to Weiler et al.

The cap 14 of the present invention can be fabricated with injectionmolding apparatus and other devices, the details of which, although notillustrated or described, will be apparent to those having skill in theart and an understanding of the necessary functions of such apparatusand devices. The detailed descriptions of such apparatus and devices arenot necessary to an understanding of the invention, and are thus notherein presented.

Collar 22 is provided with protuberances around the periphery thereofsuch as teeth 23, is unitary with the body portion 16, and forms thebase of threaded neck portion 24 which, in the embodiment shown,terminates into a unitary tapered nozzle 26. The diameter of the neckportion 24 is less than the diameter of the collar 22 so as to define aradial top shoulder 28 between the collar 22 and the threaded neckportion 24. External threads 30 are formed and extend circumferentiallyoutwardly about an outside wall region of the neck portion 24. Threads30 can be left-handed or right-handed, as desired. Nozzle 26 is sealedand occluded at the top thereof by a radially extending pierceablemembrane 29.

As shown in FIG. 2, cap 14 comprises a skirt 32 defined by a generallycylindrical peripheral circumferential wall 34 that terminates in base52 and a security ring 54 depending from base 52 of skirt 32. Cap bodyportion or wall 34 is provided with internal threads 36 threadinglyengageable with the neck threads 30 in the manner depicted in FIGS. 1and 5 and for the purposes described below in more detail. In theillustrated embodiment, the exterior surface of the wall 34 is generallycylindrical and optionally includes a plurality of vertically alignedserrations or grooves 38 which facilitate gripping of the cap 14. Otherconfigurations of gripping assists are suitable as well. Security ring54 is secured to base 52 by frangible tabs 58 and is described in detailhereinbelow.

Cap 14 additionally includes a unitary dome shaped top 40 comprising afrustoconical wall 42 which projects unitarily upwardly andcircumferentially from a threaded portion 44 of wall 34 defining theskirt 32. A spike 50 extends downwardly from the interior face of thecross wall 46 toward the nozzle 26.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, security ring 54 depends from cap 14 and extendsdownwardly and outwardly from base 52 of skirt 32. The inside diameterof the security ring is greater than the outside diameter of the base 52of the cap. A plurality of spaced frangible tabs such as tabs 58 areunitary with the skirt 32 and the ring 54, and are situated about thecircumference of the security ring 54 to removably connect ring 54 withcap 14. Ring 54 defines a cylindrical, circumferentially extendingvertical wall 60 which includes an interior circumferential verticalsurface 62. A plurality of unidirectional counterteeth 64 extendradially inwardly from the surface 62 and are in a spaced-apartrelationship to one another about the circumference of the wall 60.Teeth 64 are adapted to engage with and abut against teeth 23 thatextend radially outwardly from the exterior of the collar 22.

Ring 54 surrounds collar 22 as shown in FIG. 1. Tabs 58 extend betweenthe outer peripheral circumferential edge of the base 52, defining thelower portion of skirt 32, and the inner peripheral circumferential edgeof the wall 60 of the security ring 54. Tabs 58 are severed under twoconditions: when cap 14 is rotated to urge spike 50 against top ofnozzle 26 (FIG. 5), or when an attempt is made to remove cap 14 fromthreaded engagement with neck 24.

As cap 14 is initially threaded onto neck portion 24, counterteeth 64 onsecurity ring 54 slide over the teeth 23 on collar 22 of container 10.Continued rotation of the cap 14 causes severance of the frangible tabs58 connecting the ring 54 to the cap 14 as spike 50 pierces nozzle 26and nozzle membrane 29. When cap 14 is fully threaded over the neckportion 24 and the spike 50 has pierced the membrane 29 as shown in FIG.5, face 66 of base 52 abuts collar 22 and base 52 is received withinsecurity ring 54.

Cap 14 has a length generally about equal to the length of the containerneck and nozzle portions 24 and 26 respectively. In its fully threadedrelationship over the neck 24 and nozzle 26, the base 52 of skirt 32 isdisposed between the severed ring 54 and the outer surface of the neckportion 24. The outer face 66 of base 52 of skirt 32 is abutted againstthe shoulder 28 of collar 22.

Once cap 14 has been threaded onto neck 24 so that security ring 54envelops collar 22, and teeth 23 of collar 22 are juxtaposed relative tocounterteeth 64 that extend inwardly from wall 60, any attempt to rotatecap 14 in the opposite direction causes counterteeth 64 to engage teeth23 and thus prevent further rotation without breaking tabs 58. Brokentabs 58 provide a reliable indication that an attempt to remove cap 14has been made.

The present invention thus provides a cap with a unitary ring whichsecures the cap to the container and assures the sterility of thepierceable membrane and container contents at all times prior to use ofthe container while also contemporaneously providing a visual indicatorof tampering when the frangible tabs 58 have been severed.

1. A cap for a hermetically sealed container having a threaded neckdefining an opening occluded by a pierceable membrane, the cap includinga base and an interior spike, a security ring unitary with the cap anddepending therefrom for securing the cap over the neck, the cap beingthreadable onto the neck and the security ring being rotatable about theneck when the cap and the ring are rotated together in one direction tosever the cap from the ring before the spike pierces the membrane andthe security ring engaging the neck to sever the cap from the ring whenthe cap is rotated in the direction opposite to said one direction. 2.The cap of claim 1 wherein the neck and cap include cooperating threadedsurfaces that allow the cap to be threaded over the neck by rotation insaid one direction to secure the cap on the neck without the spikepiercing the membrane.
 3. The cap of claim 1 wherein the ring and theneck include cooperating toothed surfaces allowing the ring to rotateabout the neck in one direction but engaging and locking the ringagainst the neck when the cap is rotated in opposite direction.
 4. Thecap of claim 1 further including frangible tabs extending between thering and the cap.
 5. The cap of claim 1 wherein the ring has an insidediameter greater than the outside diameter of the base of the cap.
 6. Ahermetically sealed container comprising: a hollow body terminating in athreaded neck defining a sealed opening at one end occluded by apierceable membrane and a toothed collar at the other end; a cap seatedover the neck and including an interior spike positioned over thepierceable membrane; and a toothed security ring connected to the cap byunitary frangible tabs and adapted to engage against the toothed collarin response to the rotation of the cap in one direction, the cap beingrotatable in an opposite direction to pierce the membrane with the spikeand sever the ring from the cap by breaking the frangible tabs.
 7. Thecontainer of claim 6 wherein the frangible web comprises a plurality ofspaced frangible tabs that extend between the ring and the cap.
 8. Thecontainer of claim 6 wherein the collar defines a shoulder and the capincludes a lower face adapted to abut against the shoulder.
 9. A cap fora hermetically sealed container provided with a threaded neck thatdefines a collar and an opening occluded by a pierceable membrane, thecap comprising: a body portion adapted to threadably receive the neck ofthe container and terminating in a base; a security ring connected tothe body portion by frangible tabs, having an inside diameter greaterthan that of the base, and adapted to engage the collar for severing thefrangible web and separating the body from the ring; and an internalspike in the body portion adapted to puncture the pierceable membrane inresponse to the lowering of the body over the neck following separationof the body from the ring; wherein the security ring is rotatable aboutthe collar only in the direction that urges the spike against thepierceable membrane.
 10. The cap of claim 9 wherein the security ring isprovided with inner peripheral teeth, wherein the collar is providedwith external peripheral protuberances, and wherein the inner peripheralteeth engage the protuberances when the cap is rotated in a direction toremove the cap from the threaded neck.